As well known to those skilled in the art, in the case of a railway vehicle which runs at a relatively high speed, a front part protrudes from the front end of the railway vehicle and absorbs shock energy when a collision occurs, thus protecting a driver and passengers. The front part is designed such that, when the railway vehicle collides with a structure, the front part can absorb 70 to 80% of the shock energy.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a typical apparatus for absorbing front shock energy for railway vehicles.
As shown in FIG. 1, a front part of the typical railway vehicle includes a coupler 50, a head stock 60 and a honeycomb member 70. The coupler 50 is first collapsed by shock energy, thus conducting a first shock absorbing function. The head stock 60 and the honeycomb member 70 absorb the remaining shock energy that remains after some has been absorbed by the coupler 50. Most of the shock energy is absorbed through the above process.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a structure for absorbing shock energy for railway vehicles (proposed in Europe Patent Publication No. 0802100), which uses the concept of the above-mentioned apparatus for absorbing shock energy. This structure for absorbing shock energy for railway vehicles is an apparatus for absorbing shock energy which is installed in a front part of a railway vehicle or between passenger cars. The conventional shock energy absorbing structure for railway vehicles absorbs shock energy, generated by a collision of the railway vehicle, through a coupling 3, a casing 4, an energy absorbing buffer 7 and a shock absorber 8, thus protecting a driver and passengers.
However, the conventional shock energy absorbing structure for railway vehicles is problematic in that, when the coupling 3, the energy absorbing buffer 7, and the shock absorber 8 are collapsed by shock energy, vehicle body frames 9 and 9′, which define a driver's cab therein, are also collapsed, so that the safety of the driver cannot be ensured.